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Friday, 1 February 2013

ESAH Forum: The Great Tide of 1953

One of the worst peace-time
disasters happened sixty years ago on the night of Saturday 31 January and
Sunday 1 February 1953 when a storm surge – “the Great Tide” – breached the
poor sea defenses of the Eastern England coastline.Today ‘red warnings’ from weathermen and
other early communication systems would probably have prevented the high death
toll among those who lived by the sea.We
should not judge the event by today’s standards.That was then and this is now.The event spurred significant defenses to be
built along our coastline as a consequence.

BBC Look East interviewed
author Patricia Rennoldson Smith on their programme last night.

The BBC website has a number
of items which recall the event, including memories of the events at Canvey
Island: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-21233959
. Fifty nine people died as tide
engulfed their bungalows just after midnight, some of whom struggled onto the
rooftop to avoid the water only to suffer from the intense cold of the winter
night.